Machine for packeting cigarettes of the like



Dec. 17, 1'940. e. D. HORGAN 2,225,477

MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1937. 5 Sheets-Sheet l l NV ENTO R 6 60]? flan/271%)" an ATTO R N EY.

Dec. 17, ,1940. G. D. HORGAN MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIARE'I'TES OR THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7. V. R M mm R m2 m W A W Dec. 17, 1940. HQRGAN 2,225,477 I MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

Dec. 17, 1940.

G. D. HORGAN MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1937 INVENTOR ATTO RN EY.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 17, 1940. D, HQRGAN 2,225,477

MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIGARETTES OR THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR PACKETING CIGARETTES OR, THE LIKE.

George Daniel Horgan, London,'England, assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 29, 1937, Serial No. 156,346 In Great Britain August 1, 1-936 6 Claims.

This invention relates to cigarette or like packeting machines of the type in which cartons comprising a shell and slide are used.

More particularly the invention is concerned with the parts of the machine dealing with the shell feed and insertion of the slide containing a foiled bundle of cigarettes into the shell, and associated operations.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified mechanism for actuating the parts associated with the ejection of the slide containing the bundle of cigarettes, feeding the opened shell to a mouth piece, moving the slide into the shell and transferring the com- 16 pleted packet to its stacking position and also ejecting faulty packets, whereby in the main such operations are initiated from a single operative element or device.

According to the invention, the actuation of v the ejecting device for the filled slide, the shell feed, and the completed packet transfer means are effected from a single drive, for example a crank through the medium of a reciprocating slide element.

The invention also comprises a reciprocating motion device to which the means for feeding the filled slide in a shell, the means for feeding a shell into a position for receiving a filled slide, the means for transferring completed packets to a stacker, and the means for ejecting faulty packets are coupled whereby they are caused to function.

The invention further consists in a faulty packet control device comprising a rotary drum having a plurality of pins located at its periphery and freely movable on axes parallel to the axis of the drum, each pin being adapted to be axially displaced in either direction by either of a pair of solenoids situated on either side of the drum into a position to operate a faulty packet ejector.

Alternatively the pin may be displaced by both solenoids in the same direction, one solenoid pulling, the other pushing the pins.

The pins are preferably grooved for engagement by an endless spring band or elastic element lying in a peripheral groove in the drum whereby the pins are held in their normal nonoperative position or either of two positions according to which solenoid has functioned.

The completed packet transfer means may be associated with a trip device whereby faulty packets are ejected.

Further features of the invention will be hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

y In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the shell feed and packet transfer and ejecting mechanism according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation looking from the 5 right in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are elevations at right angles of the completed packet stacking means;

Figures 6 and '7 are side and end views of 10 faulty packet control mechanism, while Fi ure 8 is a view of a detail thereof.

The invention is carried into effect according to one convenient mode as applied to a cigarette packeting machine having an intermittently rotated turret or ring conveyor III for the slides and bundles ll. At the appropriate position where the slide containing a foiled bundle of cigarettes is to be ejected from the turret and provided with a shell, a shell feed unit is 20 mounted radially with respect to the turret and has a part or arm l2 projecting over the periphery of the turret such part supporting a reciprocating slider or bar l3 which moves in a horizontal plane and radially (or parallel to radius) 25 of thering. The arm I2 is also supported by a bracket [4 from a stationary table l5 within the turret Ill. The slider I3 is located between guides IS on the supporting arm I2.

At its outer end the slider bar l3 carries a 30 rocker shaft ll upon which a pusher element is mounted, such pusher being for the purpose of ejectingthe slide II with the foiled bundle of cigarettes from the turret ring and inserting it within an opened shell. The slide pusher comprises an arm l8 fixed to the rock shaft l1 and having a downwardly depending slide-engaging part I9 which is pivoted thereto and held against an adjustable stop 20 by means of a spring 2|.

The rocker shaft I! has a second arm 22 fix- 40 edly mounted thereon and capable of being oscillated a predetermined amount, the movement being controlled by projections 23 provided on the slider bar l3 which projections determine the amount of such oscillation. The rocker shaft l'l extends through a slot 24 in the arm 12 and carries a spring pressed pad 25 (Figure 2) which is in frictional engagement with the arm l2.

Beyond the spring pressed pad a lever 26 is secured to the rock's-haft such lever being con- 0 nected by a link 21 to a main oscillating lever 28 which, in turn is coupled by a link 29 to a crank disc 30 whereby the parts are adapted to be actuated.

By means of this arrangement when the crank 55 disc 36 oscillates the main lever 28 away from the turret ID the pusher arm I9 engages a slide II and ejects it from the turret. On the return movements, the rock shaft I1 is oscillated against the action of the friction grip 25 to bring the pusher I9 into a raised position so that it will not foul the subsequent slide and bundle which is arriving in position by the stepping to the turret I0.

It will be appreciated that by the mounting of the pusher rock shaft H on the slider bar I3, the latter will be reciprocated from the main lever 28 but at each end of its movement there will be some lost motion while the slide pusher is being pivoted up or down as the case may be to bring the arm into engagement with one or other of the projections 23.

According to an alternative arrangement, the rocking motion of the shaft Il may be dispensed with in which case the pusher arm I9 does not lift to clear a fresh slide on its return movement. Such modification is suitable where it is found that there is sufficient time for the retraction of the pusher arm l9 before a fresh slide is in position.

At the other end of the slider bar I3, a shell feed device is provided comprising a pair of downwardly extending cranked fingers I29 which are grooved at their extremities I36 and are adapted to engage the upper edge of an opened or erected shell and on the return movement of the slider bar I3, feed the shell to a position onto a mouth piece or guide means 3I ready for the insertion of a slide and bundle of cigarettes. The mouth piece comprises a plurality of very flexible springs 32 which are curved to provide a centring guide element for'the shell.

The shell feed fingers I29 are carried by a bracket 33 adjustably bolted to the slider bar I3.

- The shell feed fingers I29 feed the shell to a position in which the lower rear edge is engaged by a detent or stop 34 which is projected upwardly from below the bed. The detent is secured upon a bell crank lever 35 actuated by a rotary cam 36 (Figures 5 and 6). This detent 34 provides a stop to resist the pressure of the slide I l as such is fed into the shell and is adapted to be withdrawn as soon as the slide is completely within the shell so that the completed packet is given a movement away from the mouth piece into a position 31 vertically below an initial vertical stacker 38- for the completed packets into which they are moved from below by a vertically reciprocating platform device 39. The platform device 39 is mounted upon a vertically guided post or slider 46 which is operated from a rotary cam M by an oscillating lever 42 carrying a slider block 43 engaging between the projections 44 on the post (see Figures 4 and 5). As the newly completed packet is pushed into the initial stacker 38 it raises those already therein and engages pivotally mounted hook elements 45 which project through the sides of the stacker and support the stack therein. 7

Located intermediate its ends the slider bar I3 is provided with an upwardly extending arm or plate 46 which carries at its upper end a transfer finger 41 which is adapted to be reciprocated across the top of the vertical stack 38 as the slider bar I3 reciprocates, and thus engage and transfer the uppermost completed packet 48 to a stationary platform 49 from which the packets are subsequently moved on to an inclined main stacking device 50. This transferring action occurs during the-period when the slider bar I3 the completed packets.

reciprocates to cause the pusher I9 to push a slide having a bundle of cigarettes therein, into a waiting shell.

The transfer finger 41 is secured to a boss or sleeve 89 pivoted upon a spindle 5I carried on the arm or plate 46 on the slider bar. The finger is adapted to have limited oscillating movement controlled by a frictional grip which is produced by a suitable spring 52 encircling the spindle and pressing the boss 89 against the plate 46 through a washer 53 and a two-armed lever 54 which is fixed to the finger 41.

The two-armed lever 54 is adapted normally to lie in a vertical position as shown in Figure 1 when the transfer finger is in its transferring position. The lower arm of this lever 54 during the transfer of a. packet to the platform 49 is adapted to ride past a spring pressed pawl or latch 55 and on the return movement after transferring the packet, the lower arm engages this latch whereby the transfer finger 41 is oscillated to a position in which it will ride over the uppermost packet in the initial stacker on its return movement, it being appreciated that immediately after the transfer of a packet, the initial stack is given a vertical movement by the reciprocating platform 39 to introduce a newly completed packet into the bottom of the stack.

In order to again right the transfer finger 4'I- for its next transferring action the upper arm of the two-armed lever 54, as the slider bar reaches its original position, engages an adjustable stop 56 whereby the-lever 54 is again oscillated to bring the finger 41 into a position for transferring This adjustable stop 56 is pivoted upon a bracket BI and normally occupies a position for returning the transfer finger 41 at each'rec'iprocation, but is adapted to be moved out of the way by means of a suitable detector control device which is adapted to be preset to detect packages which are faulty, for example, by the absence of a foil wrapper or the absence of one or more cigarettes. When the adjustable stop 56 is moved out of the way of the lever 54 the transfer finger 4-1 will not be returned to its normal transfer position and thus on the next forward reciprocation of the slider bar I3 the finger 41 will ride over the uppermost packet which is a faulty packet. On the return movement the transfer finger 41 will engage the faulty packet which has in the meantime been raised by the insertion of a further packet from below and eject the faulty packet in the opposite direction to the good packets and on to a table 51 from which it is removed by the attendant.

The faulty packet detector control device may be of any suitable form and according to the preferred arrangement it comprises a rotary drum 58 (Figures 6 and 7) having a plurality of adjustable pins 59 at its periphery which are capable of sliding on axes parallel with the axis of the drum.

The pins are provided with flanges or heads 60. at both their ends and are adapted during the rotation of the drum to pass through a claw 6I on the end of the core of a solenoid 62 the arrangement being such that if the solenoid is energised the particular pin 59 engaging the claw at the moment will be drawn into a position in which it will subsequently engage a pawl 63 carried by an arm 64 fixed upon a shaft 'II which carries at its opposite end another arm I2 coupled to the adjustable stop 56 by the link 65 and thus move the stop 56 from its normal position. Twosolenoids 62are provided one on each side of the drum, one being in a circuit for controlling faulty packages in which a foil wrapper is missing, the other for faulty packages in which the number of cigarettes is incorrect or for any other cause where the package is incomplete or faulty. Thus a second pawl 63 is located on the other side of the drum 58. The pins 59 are freely mounted in the drum 58 and are provided with three spaced grooves l 64 in which a coiled spring I65 located in a peripheral groove 56 in the drum is adapted to engage whereby the pins will be held in their normal position or in either projected position according to the circumstances. After a projected pin 59 has engaged the pawl 63 and operated the adjustable stop 56 it is returned to its normal position by engaging with one or other of a pair of fixed ramps 61 located in front of the solenoids 62.

The pin drum 58 is mounted below the bed of the shell feed unit and is driven through worm gear 13 from a shaft 14, by bevel gear 16 secured to a shaft 11, the latter being driven from the crank disc shaft 15 by chain and sprocket gear 18.

Instead of providing solenoid cores with claws 6|, the pins 59 may be displaced by pulling di rectly thereon by the aid of electromagnets.

According to a modified construction the pins 59 may always be projected in the same direction by arranging the solenoid on one side of the drum 58 to push the ins instead of pull them by means of a claw. With such form only one pawl 63 and ramp 6'! is necessary.

The parts are so disposed that the adjustable stop 56 is moved out of the way by the projected pin 59 on the pin drum 58 just before the slider bar l3 reaches its original position and immediately after it again moves forward the stop 56 is returned to its normal position by a spring so that when the slider bar I3 again returns and the transfer finger 41 ejects the faulty packet the two-arm lever 54 will engage the adjustable stop 56 and return the transfer finger 41 to its.

upright position ready for transferring the next completed packet at the upper end of the initial stack, unless in the meantime the next adjacent detecting pin 59 has prevented the return of the adjustable stop 56 that is, in the event of a further faulty packet lying at the top of the initial stacker.

The completed good packets resting on the platform 49 are gripped by side spring elements- 82 and are adapted to be pushed therefrom by an oncoming packet and down a slide 68 on to the main stacker 50 where the packets are arranged on edge. T e main stacker 50 is upwardly inclined and the packets are adapted to be en gaged by a feed device comprising a pivoting flap 69 which moves them one by one from the slide 68 to the rear end of the main stack where they are held by spring catches 16 in the side prising a turret device for the filled slides, mechanism comprising means for feeding a shell to a position to receive a filled slide, means for delivering a filled slide from said turret device into said shell, means for ejecting the completed packet at an ejecting station spaced from said filling position, a reciprocating slide element mounted to move to and fro in a path adjacent to the path of said turret, adjacent to said filling position and adjacent to said ejecting station, mechanism for transferring the filled shell into the range of action of said ejecting means, a cam shaft having cams with connections for reciprocating said slide and for operating said transfer mechanism in timed relation, and operating connections between said reciprocating slide element and said means for delivering a filled slide from the turret device into its shell, and between said element and said ejecting means, whereby the reciprocating slide element effects the assembly of the shell and the filled slide and also effects the ejection of the complete package.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transfer mechanism is constructed and ar ranged to form an initial vertical stack between said filling position and said ejecting station, and wherein said ejecting means is constructed and arranged to transfer the .good packets exclusively, in serial order, from the upper end of said stack to a main stack.

- 3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein t e shell feed comprises a downwardly extending pair of spaced fingers mounted at one end of the slide element, each of said fingers having a grooved surface adapted to engage the upper edge of an opened shell, and a detent actuated by connections from said slide element to hold said shell during insertion of the slide, thus co-operating with said fingers to position the shell.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for delivering a filled slide from the turret device and into a shell comprises a crank controlled lever, and a pusher element pivotally mounted on the reciprocating slide element and coupled to said crank controlled lever, and provision is made of spaced projections on said slide element, said pusher element being provided with an arm operating between said spaced projections on the slide whereby clearance is provided for pivotal support of the pusher relatively to the reciprocating slide at the ends of its movement.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shell is adapted to be fed onto a mouth piece through which the slide is delivered, a displaceable detent being provided for holding the mouth piece against the pressure of the slide being delivered, and wherein the insertion of the slide into the shell is followed by a withdrawal of said detent, and a movement of the completed packet to a position beneath an initial vertical stack, and a Vertically reciprocating platform for delivering the completed packets to the bottom of said stack.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the turret device for the filled slides comprises a turret ring, means for intermittently rotating said turret ring and means for operating said transferring mechanism continuously.

GEORGE DANIEL HORGAN. 

